Random thoughts, dubious rants, curiosities and worthy citations on the media, politics, marketing, music, inanity, and animals, among other things. Words and pictures and stuff, mostly from south central Wisconsin USA

09 February 2010

What is this, high school? Of Sarah Palin, Rahm Emanuel, satire, and f***ing retards

I've been schooled by some very well-meaning friends about my occasional use of the word "retarded." I wrote a post defending the word, as if it is defensible. I must agree that, to many, many people, it is insensitive at best and offensive and hateful at worst. I get it.

America's air-headed conservative sweetheart, Sarah Palin, doesn't like the word and it's variations either. Unless it is uttered by someone she is afraid to piss off, or she uses it herself. She called for the firing of White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel when he used it to refer to progressive Democrats. But she sees it as satire when used by El Rushbo.

I thought if you went to several universities to cobble together a single broadcast journalism degree, you would understand what "satire" means. I guess not. But what can you expect from someone who has to scrawl and then actually use notes on her own hand. Hilarious! And it's not even satire! But this from Stephen Colbert sure is... and it's really well-done satire...

Well played, Mr. Colbert. I especially like the "hand-o-prompter" line. So many on the right have parroted criticism on Barack Obama for using a TelePrompTer, forgetting that every president -- or corporate big shot -- uses them when they want to stay with a pre-written speech. Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg address on the backs on envelopes, the TelePrompTer of his day, for chrissakes. Do people think politicians and other important speakers deliver major addresses extemporaneously? I don't think our previous president could order at the Taco Bell drive-thru without notes.

But writing stuff on your hand? WTF? Of course, since she is prone to releasing "statements" on her Facebook page, I guess this shouldn't be too much of a surprise. Yet, this is the person people still think should be our next president? What... is Miley Cyrus not interested in running? Are we all suddenly 14 years old again?

Which brings me to another piece of brilliant satire from last week's Saturday Night Live. Andy Samberg nails the whole Rahm Emanuel thing...

Samberg seems to take a page from the Glenn Beck playbook for his satirical inspiration: "I'm just saying what other people are thinking." That's the great thing about satire; it allows a point to be made clear in a way that is both humorous and deadly accurate. It's a rhetorical or literary device, though, and not an excuse for being an ass. It's also not something you can claim retroactively after you say something incredibly hateful, offensive, or just plain ignorant. Sorry Rush. Sorry Glen. It's only satire when you have that as an objective before the fact.

I gotta run. I have class and I need to write my discussion points on my arm.